Integrity

I was told a few days ago that one family (likely, only one) was very excited to have me come to Grace Church because I hadn’t been a pastor all of my life – like Scott, Tim, and Whitey came from the womb thumping a Bible. Frankly, what this dear saint was trying to say was that pastors ask “common Christians” to do too much, that we don’t understand the demands of life.

Frankly, I would say that the American church has become something that you do in a certain place (for us, a building on a plot of land at 501 W. Lincoln in Lititz) at certain times. Those times in the American Christian culture are Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. It’s what’s expected. Some churches expect you to be there “whenever the doors are open and the lights are on.” And a tremendous amount of energy is exerted trying to guilt you into serving the multitude of programs that the church offers to attract more people into our fellowship. This puts tremendous stress on the lives of the few people who accept this modus operandi, this way of doing “church.”

One huge reason I am an advocate of small groups is that groups shatter these views of faithfulness and church. We are not called to a spiritual or sacred life that lives in opposition to our “real” life in the “secular world.” We are called to allow the truths of the gospel message to transform us in the midst of a rebellious world. We are called to “be” the church, not to “do” church. And as far as a compelling, attractive message… How about transformed lives and peace in the midst of turmoil, even tribulation? I love group life because it forces us to live out our faith and to do it in the regular routine of life. It becomes incredibly difficult to live a life caught in the tension of compartmentalization when you have others in your life, preferably daily, who are invested in you and even relying on you.

Are you worried that you might be living a life of lies, the life of a hypocrite? Get into a healthy group. You think it will take more of your time away. It will actually help you to organize, prioritize, and integrate your life. Christ asks us to live in community, and He claimed, “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” (John 10:10 NLT). Do you believe Him? Do you trust Him?